Exciting four-year-old Father Of Jazz puts his unblemished All-Weather record on the line in the Gr3 Betway Winter Derby at Lingfield Park on Saturday, 27 February.
Father Of Jazz (Callum Shepherd) is three from three for trainer Roger Varian and outclassed the opposition in a handicap over the course and distance on February 5. The Kingman colt is the 13/8 favourite with Betway.
Felix (Marco Botti/Hollie Doyle) and Forest Of Dean (John Gosden/Robert Havlin) were separated by a head when filling the places behind Bangkok in the Listed Betway Winter Derby Trial on February 6.
Forest Of Dean is attempting to give John Gosden a third consecutive Betway Winter Derby following Wissahickon and Dubai Warrior. Gosden is the joint most successful handler in the race’s history alongside Clive Brittain.
Bangkok’s stablemate Johnny Drama (Andrew Balding/Ryan Moore) has been off the track since finishing fifth under a 3lb penalty in the Listed Betway Quebec Stakes over the course and distance on December 19.
The six-year-old was in great form prior to that, winning four races on the bounce including the Listed Unibet Wild Flower Stakes over 12 furlongs at Kempton Park.
Trainer Andrew Balding said today: “Johnny Drama has had a little break since the Quebec Stakes.
“The concern is that this probably isn’t his ideal track. We felt he was not quite as good here last time as he had been previously.
“Having said that, this is the only logical race for him really, so we felt it was worth another go.”
A select field is completed by Power Of States (Hugo Palmer/Ben Curtis). The five-year-old has captured five handicaps on the All-Weather this winter, most recently at Wolverhampton on February 15.